Dazu Rock Carvings & Residence of General Joseph W. Stilwell

Dazu Rock Carvings

The Dazu (meaning 'harvest and abundance') Rock Carvings is the general name for over one-hundred cliff grottoes scattered throughout Dazu County, 130 kilometers (80 miles) northwest of Chongqing City. Included amongst these grottoes are the carvings in Beishan, Baodingshan, Nanshan, Shimenshan and Shizhuanshan.

The construction of these grottoes began during the early Tang Dynasty (618 - 907) and reached its height during the later Tang and the Five Dynasties and Ten States (907 - 979) periods. The elaborate carvings depict a wide range of subjects from Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian stories to scenes from the daily life of everyday people. They are considered representative examples of later-period Chinese grotto art. All in all, there are 60,000 statue carvings and 100,000 inscriptions. Among these, the carvings in Beishan and Baodingshan are the most famous.

Two kilometers (over one mile) outside the county, the construction of the Beishan Carvings began in 892 during the late Tang dynasty and was completed during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279). Two hundred and ninety cliff grottoes wind their way for five hundred meters (1,640 feet) and contain over 7,000 statues. The carvings are typical works of Buddha statues and Taoist and Confucian figures.

The Baodingshan Carvings, also called Dafowan (Big Buddha Gulf) are located 15 kilometers (9 miles) northeast of Dazu County. Here a series of lofty grotto carvings are engraved on three sides of 5 to 15 meter high (16 - 50 feet) U-shaped mountain cliffs depicting nineteen groups of continuous Buddhist stories. The vivid carvings present both the wisdom of Chinese Buddhism and the refined technique of Buddhist carvings. In 1999, it was listed by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site.

The residence is now a memorial hall to commemorate General Joseph W. Stilwell, a friend of the Chinese people during the Second World War. From 1942 to 1944, General Joseph W. Stilwell was posted to Chongqing and held several important positions in the Sino-US Alliance, which was an anti-fascist alliance against Japan during the World War. All the efforts he made in Chongqing bear testimony to the friendship between China and U.S.

At the entrance, there is a statue of General Joseph W. Stilwell. The memorial hall contains the well-preserved bedroom, offices, and meeting rooms that were used during the wartime. A collection of scripts, uniforms, and daily items used by the General are also on display. Each year thousands of American tourists visit the residence to pay their respects to the great general.